Downtown Natick Fire Is Reminiscent Of Old Blaze

NATICK, MA — Natick has a strong history of banding together as a community and literally building from the ashes. Monday morning's devastating fire charred eight local businesses in a building on South Main Street. Just one day later, community members started mobilizing to help those affected. The scene is reminiscent of another fire that burned in a location just down the street, eleven years earlier.

Another early-morning June fire tore through five local businesses in downtown Natick on Pond Street, this one was in 2008. An electrical fire was named as the cause and the victims included Cobbler Shop West and Fici's Tailor Shop. The landlords of the building, Stephen Weinstein and Helene Taylor, had only owned the building for three months before the blaze burned the businesses.

In an effort to save two of the local businesses scorched by the fire, the landlords opened their own business up to the cobbler and tailor shop, offering some relief while they searched for another space. Fici's Tailor Shop ended up moving to the strip that was just devastated by Monday's fire, to 23 South Main Street. Luckily, the shop made one last move, two weeks before the fire, in anticipation of renovations coming to the strip. Fici's Tailor Shop narrowly escaped the flames.

Even farther back in Natick's history, another even bigger fire, is scorched into the town's memory. The Great Fire of 1874 burned much of Natick Center to the ground. In total, 37 buildings and much of the town center were burned to ash. Losses were estimated at over $650,000, according to the Natick Historical Society. This early morning fire took place in January and leveled most of five business blocks and 18 structures in the center of town, according to the Natick Historical Society.

A Natick Bulletin article from the time noted the perseverance of the town's people and optimism, despite the devastating circumstance, "The burnt district will be rebuilt with the coming of Spring; and in place of the wooden structures which lately stood, will rise buildings of brick and stone." According to the Natick Historical Society rebuilding began within a week.

Almost 150 years later, Natick residents have held onto that optimistic spirit, offering hope and assistance to the businesses affected by Monday's fire. One business, The Nancy Kelley Dance Studio, was regarded as a community fixture and had been a downtown Natick anchor for 35 years.

Charred by the flames, the studio was demolished and the owner, Nancy Kelley, forced to find a new space to keep the business alive. Just a day after news of the fire spread, a former student of the studio created a GoFundMe to help Kelley financially as the chaos subsides and a search for a new space begins.

Elisa Nikoloulias started the page with a $1,000 goal, but said it is adjustable as it starts off. Nikoloulias was just four-years-old when she started dancing with Nancy Kelley and still holds those memories close to her heart. "She's impacted so many lives, 35 years is a legacy," she said. In four hours the page raised $145. Nikoloulias now lives in New York City, but felt the need to help her hometown dance studio in trying times, "Just wanted to help her while insurance and all the logistical chaos settle," she said, "She's heartbroken but so so so incredibly full of grace — taking this in stride."

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